


Why Break Tradition?

by Klanceisunoriginal



Series: Golden Opportunities Universe [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 20GAYTEEN, Everyone is LGBT, Fake Dating, Female pronouns for Pidge, His name is Akira, How Do I Tag, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Keith has a dog, M/M, Multi, Oneshot, Road Trip, Shiro is pan, allura is pan, hunk is pan, in Italy, its an Australian cattle dog, keith is gay, lance is bi, lance’s birthday, matt is bi, pidge is gayce, tags???, they’re in europe, trickery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 21:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15470937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klanceisunoriginal/pseuds/Klanceisunoriginal
Summary: Lance is spending his 18th birthday in Italy, but his friends are by his side and they pull out all the stops. But really, why break tradition?Set in the Golden Opportunities universe





	Why Break Tradition?

**Author's Note:**

> Happy hecking birthday Lance!
> 
> Set during chapter 17 of Golden Opportunities!
> 
> ENJOY!

Birthdays. Some people love them, not many hate them. Gifts, cake, friends, family, it’s a great time for anyone. Especially if you’re from the McClain family. Lance, having five sisters and a brother, always had huge birthdays. He would invite his two or so friends, and each of his siblings were allowed to invite two of their friends. His mamá didn’t have much money, but the McClain kids made do with what they had. It was always legendary, and Lance had decided he was the master of birthdays for that very reason.

Lance would be lying if he says he isn’t staring at his phone, awaiting the first birthday texts. He watches the time eagerly, buzzing with energy underneath his blanket. His body is contorted so that he’s propping his phone up with his knee, his back arched so that his face is no less than two inches from the screen. He bites his lip excitedly.

Across the room, Keith is curled up in his own bed, typing furiously, thumbs moving at the speed of sound. Lance grins at the boy. Then, there’s a vibration that shakes his whole leg, and another, and another. Hunk. Lance nearly jumps with excitement, letting out a squeal. Keith snorts quietly at the other boy’s passion for birthdays.

Keith presses send, exhaling air he didn’t know he was holding. Almost immediately there’s rustling of bedsheets as Lance rolls over to look at him. Keith glances at his phone, turns it off, and stands up. Lance watches as Keith’s thin blanket is thrown off of him and the thin boy nearly dives into Lance’s bed.

A hesitant brush of lips, then breath ghosting across his face. Lance smiles lightly, pressing his forehead to Keith’s. He pulls his stare from Keith’s lips and instead gazes into his eyes. Keith smiles back. Lance kisses him again, pouring everything, all of his feelings, through his lips and onto Keith’s. He brings his hands up to run them through Keith’s hair. The mulletted boy kisses back with the same ferocity.

The pair break away, all too soon. “Happy Birthday, baby,” Keith whispers, staring into Lance’s eyes. Lance stares back, drawn to the other boy. “Cuddle me,” he insists, turning over, becoming the little spoon. In the corner, Hunk turns his head to whisper in the general direction of the cuddly boys. “Happy Birthday and everything, Lance, but please spare me from your making out noises. I don’t wanna hear that.” The birthday boy chuckles at his best friend.

Lance quickly responds to the texts from Shiro, Allura, and Matt, then decides it’s time for his beauty rest. Keith presses a kiss to his temple, then the three boys are drifting off.

Pidge nearly kicks the door down, singing the birthday song at the top of her lungs, followed closely by Shalluratt, who are throwing pillows at the three boys. The small girl stands on the bedside table, wailing the lyrics. Lance assumes that the four had made it a competition to see who can sing the most offkey. Hunk joins in, his morning voice deep and scratchy. Keith squeezes Lance closer to himself, giving him his first hug as an 18 year old. “Good morning special boy,” he whispers. Lance smiles to himself. He really does have the best friends in the universe.

After the intrusion, Shiro ushers the others out of the room so that the boys can get dressed. It’s not like Keith was going to change, it’s ten in the morning, clothes are not required until noon. Hunk, on the other hand, is out of his pjs in an instant. Lance stretches his arms over his head and strides to the bathroom for a morning shower. ‘It makes you cooler through the day,’ he insists, and no one wants to argue, so he does his thing. As soon as he slides the door closed, he starts playing his “20GAYTEEN” playlist on full volume through his bluetooth speaker. There’s nothing wrong with gracing the rest of the house with his splendid music taste. Though they’d never admit it, the rest of the house’s inhabitants really enjoy the playlist.

Keith drags himself into the living room, where the adults are sitting with their steaming coffee, the carafe sitting on the stove, presumably making more. Pidge digs through the fridge, searching for something to line her stomach. “Why do we have to have toast every single day? It’s getting boring,” she complains, shutting the door with a slam. “Well you could go out and get breakfast with us in the morning but you refuse to wake up before 10 AM,” Allura says, never removing her gaze from the book in front of her. The younger girl groans, opening the breadbox.

“Good morning, Keith, how are you?” Shiro asks in between sips of coffee. “I’m good, Shiro. Thanks.” The group hears Lance singing along to Beyoncé’s “Love on Top” from the shower. Keith chuckles, walking over to the stove to pour himself a mug of the boiling black substance. “So what’s the plan for later tonight… you know, with the thing?” Hunk asks, entering the room, comb in hand. Shiro sighs, setting his mug down, “I don’t know. What do you have planned for the rest of the day?” Hunk ponders for a moment before giving Pidge a look. A questioning, yet understanding look. “We should stick with tradition, right?” Pidge asks, spreading Nutella over her toast. “Yeah. When Lance finishes getting ready, the three of us are gonna pop by the corner store and grab some things, come home, and watch the Star Wars movies. Allura, can you download them pretty please?” Allura nods at Hunk’s request, turning to her laptop and opening a new tab.

The song in the bathroom changes to “Curious” by Hayley Kiyoko, as does Lance’s voice. His singing is almost never ending. Keith digests the conversation before a realization hits him. “I’ve never seen the Star Wars movies.” Jaws across the room drop, Pidge’s butter knife clatters against the countertop as it falls from her loose grip, Matt looks as though he’s about to do a spit take. “WHAT?” Pidge all but screams, retrieving her butter knife and pointing it threateningly at Keith, “How have you NEVER seen those movies? You’ve always been obsessed with space!” The threatened boy raises his hands in surrender, “I don’t know, really. I just assumed they weren’t very good and decided not to watch them.”

Pidge whirls around to Shiro, aiming her knife at the larger man. “Shiro, why haven’t you forced him to watch the movies?” He stares at her like she’s a camera and he’s Jim from the office. “I don’t roll that way, Pidge. I’m not gonna force him to like something he seems to show no interest in.” The gremlin-sized girl looks at him, appalled, “he was obsessed with SPACE, Shiro!” He shrugs, then turns back to his breakfast. “Does it matter now? I mean, we’re gonna watch them today, so by the end of the day I WILL have seen them,” Keith glances back and forth between everyone in the room, searching for some sign of confirmation. “I guess,” Pidge says, albeit suspiciously, lowering her knife and turning back to her Nutella.

Lance gets out of the shower, dancing to “Run The World (Girls)” by queen Bey. He towels himself dry and steps into his clean clothes, rolling his hair in the towel. He’d washed his face in the shower, so all that’s left is to moisturize his soon to be silky smooth skin. He sends a quick text to the group, asking what the plan for the day is, and he gets a quick response from Hunk. When he’s finished, he slides the bathroom door open and dances into the living room, unaware of the earlier commotion. “You ready to go, buddy?” Hunk asks, offering Lance a slice of toast. “Yep, but we’re stopping by the Husky, I need a cappuccino,” The birthday boy accepts his toast and turns on his heel to walk out of the door, before being interrupted by Pidge. “Wait for me, idiots, I have to put my shoes on.”

The trio leave the house with Allura’s debit card in hand, walking to the corner store. “So, how does it feel to be a legal adult?,” Pidge asks, walking slightly behind the older boys. “Uh well so far it feels fucking awesome, but only because I have the literal best friends in the entire world,” Lance says perkily, a bounce in his step. Hunk’s phone vibrates, as does Pidge’s. Hunk quickly checks the message, shows Pidge, then continues walking with his best friends.

Meanwhile, back at the flat, Shiro and Matt have just walked out the door with Akira to go to the liquor store. Keith makes sure that his gift for Lance (that Shiro actually bought) is perfectly wrapped with a special card on the inside, and Allura is trying to figure out how to hook her laptop up to the TV. After he’s finished with the gift, which is still hidden, Keith takes to making a blanket nest on the couch for him and Lance. Allura may insist that it’s summer and that he doesn’t need a blanket nest, but in order to get into the movie watching spirit, he must have his nest.

Hunk leads the group into the Carrefour store. He heads straight back to the freezer section, stacking three containers of gelato into Pidge’s arms, much to her dismay. He then drags them into the first aisle, where there are bags of pre-popped popcorn. “How many of these do you think we’ll need?” Lance ever so foolishly asks. Hunk doesn’t answer, only piles fourteen bags into Lance’s arms. “Let me explain. There are seven of us, and we all really like popcorn, also, we’ll be watching these movies for many hours, so getting two bags each is necessary,” Hunk explains, leading them to the checkout. They ignore the cashier’s stare, bag everything up, and leave.

Shiro and Matt tie Akira up outside the liquor store, enter, and just start grabbing random things. They do have a budget and they don’t want to get too crazy, but they end up getting two different types of wine, some limoncello, blue raspberry vodka, cranberry juice, and some sparkling cider for Pidge. At the realization of the legal drinking age being only eighteen, the boyfriends jumped on the chance of getting lots of alcohol. And that they do.

Pidge, Hunk, and Lance arrive back at the flat before Shiro, Matt, and Akira. They walk up the stairs and drop everything on the dining room table. “Shit, guys, do you think you got enough?” Keith asks sarcastically from his blanket nest. “Oh haha, fuck you, sassy man,” Pidge says mockingly. Everyone’s phones vibrate at the same time, so naturally, every single person drops everything they’re doing to open the group chat.

Lance is PUMPED. The legal drinking age in Italy is eighteen, that means that everyone except Pidge is allowed to drink. What kind of coming of age celebration would this day be without the good stuff? “You guys have got to try this Limoncello stuff,” Shiro calls from the kitchen, holding up the yellow bottle. Lance runs over to him, taking the glass from his hand and tipping it back. He tries not to grimace, but it’s not what he was expecting. “It tastes like cheap cough syrup,” he says, trying to be casual. “Yeah, but it has the same effect as whiskey. It warms your throat damn fast,” Shiro adds. “I love it.”

Keith, nestled in the blanket nest with his popcorn, gelato, and vodka cranberry, looks agitated with the time it’s taking for everyone to be prepared. “Can we all just come over here and watch the movie?” he asks, eyes pleading. “Oh, someone sounds excited,” Pidge calls mockingly from the opposite couch. He shoots her a look. “Lance McClain, get your eighteen year old ass over here and cuddle me,” he says, opening his arms for the Cuban boy. “Holt, Shirogane, get your 27 year old asses over here and cuddle me,” Allura demands, expecting Matt and Shiro, but instead getting a lap full of Pidge. “Wrong Holt, smartass,” she teases. “Pidge, that is my girlfriend you’re sitting on,” Matt says threateningly. Pidge huffs, then gets up to sit with Hunk.

Midway through the second movie, Lance pauses the movie, much to the disappointment of his friends. “Sorry guys, Mama McClain is calling.” You could’ve said that the Messiah was being born or higher education was becoming free, but the room wouldn’t have gotten any more excited. Pidge and Hunk immediately jump up, the latter screaming “MAMA MCCLAIN!”

The birthday boy grabs his laptop and sits it on a chair, positioning it so that everyone who had gathered on the couch could be seen. He opens skype and starts a call with his mother.

Just as she accepts the call, she and Lance’s siblings start singing the birthday song. His grin can’t get wider. “Happy Birthday, mijo. It’s a big one! How does it feel to be eighteen?” Lance’s mother, Rosalina, asks. “It’s amazing, thanks to these guys!” He gestures to his friends, glancing back to where they’re smiling at his mom. “Has he been good? Is he eating enough? He’s not bothering anyone too badly, is he-?” Rosalina starts drowning everyone in questions. Keith snuggles closer to him, answering for the group, “He’s been absolutely amazing, Mama McClain. You have nothing to worry about.”

  
“Feliz cumpleaños, mijo. Pasadlo bien juntos.”  
“Gracias, mamá. ¡Intentaré!”  
“Te quiero, adios.”  
“Te quiero.”  
Rosalina pesters the group for a little over an hour before letting her son and his friends go. Lance takes that opportunity to run to the bathroom, texting the group and asking someone to open another gelato. He also asks if Shiro will teach him how to make a vodka cranberry. He washes his hands and walks into the kitchen, where Pidge is dipping out seven servings of gelato and Shiro is waiting to help him.

“So we want mostly cranberry juice because that’s what makes it tolerable. Then add like this much-” he pours in a generous amount of the blue raspberry vodka, “-and stir. Now you try.” Lance tries his hardest to make it perfect, just like Shiro did. “You did good!” The older man pats him on the back with his prosthetic arm. “Keith? Here’s your thing,” Lance hands the glass to him, eagerly awaiting his feedback. Keith tips his head back and takes a sip. “It’s good, better than Shiro’s,” the boy grins, watching his brother give him the evil eye. “I’m calling in a pizza,” Shiro announces, leaving the room.

The day is growing darker, the sun starting to set, so after the friends are done eating the pizza, they clear off the table. Shiro brings Keith aside, whispering to him. “We’re gonna get all of the stuff and spread it out on the table. Go take him to the bedroom or something - not in that way, don’t do that - give him his gift, maybe.” Keith nods, sneaking into the adults’ closet, where all of the surprise things are stashed. He grabs his gift, a dark blue bag with baby blue paper and a card sticking out of the top. Then, Keith, hiding the gift behind his back, walks into the living room and grabs Lance’s hand, pulling him down the hallway into their shared bedroom.

Before Lance can say anything, Keith thrusts the gift bag into the other boy’s hands. “Keith, you really didn’t have to get me anything, but it’s so nice that you did and I really appreciate it!” There’s a glimmer in his blue eyes that Keith only sees when they’re alone together. “Do the card first,” Keith says, not knowing what else to say. So he does, Lance grabs it from the bag and tears into the envelope, opening the card.

Lance,

I haven’t known you for very long, but there’s something very special about you. Maybe it’s your sense of humor, maybe it’s your wit for pranks. Hell, we wouldn’t be doing this fake dating thing if it weren’t for you. No, I haven’t known you for long, but I do feel closer to you than the others, save for Shiro and Pidge. Is it because you took me on my first date or took my first kiss? I’m not sure, but you’re special. I don’t want to let you go for a while. Happy 18th, Lance. Make it count.

Love,  
Keith

Keith watches as Lance reads the messy handwriting. Allura helped him write it, though she didn’t know about the fake dating thing. That part was him. Lance looks up, tears shimmering in his ocean colored eyes. “Keith, you’re so goddamn sweet. You don’t seem like it at first glance, but you’re so fucking sweet.” Lance nearly jumps into his arms, pulling him closer, tighter. He pulls away, allowing Keith to brush away the tear that had escaped. A hug isn’t enough. Keith wants to show him how much he cares, so he closes the distance hungrily. Lance kisses back with fervor, trying his hardest to get as close as physically possible to the shorter boy.

Keith pulls away first, gasping for air. “You still haven’t opened the present,” he reminds Lance, who opens it faster than any gift he’s ever opened before. A small, round, black container. On the lid it reads “LUSH: LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL.” Lance gasps, opening the container. It’s an exfoliating face scrub… from Lush. He’s never been in a Lush store. The scrub smells so good, he can hardly take it. “So, do you like it?” Keith asks nervously. Lance meets his gaze, pressing a short kiss to his lips. “Yes, I love it. Thank you so much, Keith.”

Pidge is asked to go retieve the lovebirds from the bedroom since everything in the living room is ready. She starts knocking on the door. “Keith, we’re ready, bring him in.”

Lance looks at Keith, pure confusion on his face. The other boy can’t contain a grin. He takes Lance’s hand, tells him to close his eyes, and leads him into the living room. “Open them.”

Lance is met with a small table full of beauty products and his friends standing behind them. “wh- what?” he asks, confused, appalled, and amazed. “We thought we could have a spa night, you know, because you’re into all that stuff. Everyone helped out, and we know you know how to do all those things, so, uh, happy birthday!” Matt explains, gesturing to all of the items laid out on the table. The beauty guru of a man takes a moment to gather his thoughts before giving commands left and right. “Allura, you’re on nail duty, you trim and shape and we’ll both work on polish. Matt, you’re doing blackhead removal because i know that’s up your alley. Pidge, make sure everyone gets a razor and shaving cream. Hunk, you help remove the masks when it’s time, Shiro, make sure there are towels when washing faces, Keith, you’re helping me put the masks on.”

Lance explains a detailed plan. First, the masks for thirty minutes, ten of them being with cucumbers. While waiting, they split off into groups of shaving (if wanted) and nail care. Then the removal of masks, sugar scrub, and lip exfoliation. Next is blackhead removal and continuation of the others. Everyone gets ready for their jobs, and they get to work.

Matt and Allura are the first to get the masks done. Keith watches Lance closely to see how he fills in the whole face and follows suit. Once Matt and Allura are finished, The boys hand them their cucumbers and send them to lay down for ten minutes. Next is Shiro and Hunk, followed by Pidge. Then, Keith and Lance do each other and they lay down with the rest of their friends.

Soon after, Allura and Matt stand up, putting the cucumbers in the compost bin. Matt follows Allura to the nail care station, where she trims his nails, shapes them, cuts the cuticles, and applies the nail strengthening oil. Shiro and Hunk then stand, Shiro getting in line for nail care and Hunk standing by the sink. Allura repeats the process for Shiro, then asks Hunk for assistance on removing her mask. She and Matt successfully take them off, then wash their face with sugar scrub and exfoliate their lips. Shiro provides the towels.

At this point, Pidge stands, tossing her cucumbers and starting to shave her own legs. Allura does Hunk’s nails and starts to let Matt pop her blackheads when Keith and Lance get up, composting their cucumbers. Hunk and Shiro start taking their masks off and washing with sugar scrub.

The cycle continues until nearly midnight. Everyone’s legs are shaved (if they want them to be), everyone’s skin is smooth, nails are shaped and painted the specified color, and blackheads are removed.

“This has been so relaxing you guys,” Lance says while wiping down the table. They’re all cleaning up the mess that they’d made. “Thank you so much for this. It’s been the best birthday ever.”

To end the evening, the friends gather to take a picture of their nails. Shiro’s are purple with one black on each hand, Allura’s are bubblegum pink, Matt’s are pastel orange, Keith’s are blood red, Hunk’s are sunshine yellow, Pidge’s are lime green, and Lance’s are ocean blue. “This one is going on instagram,” Matt says, happy to be able to share this experience with his friends. “I hate to be a party pooper, but i’m tired as fuck and it’s time for bed. Goodnight everyone, and happy birthday, Lance!” Shiro says, yawning.

Yeah, it has been a pretty happy birthday.

**Author's Note:**

> pls read my fic Golden Opportunities 10/10 recommend...
> 
> leave a comment and tell me what you thought!


End file.
